Guitar instrumental - mixing tips needed!

Superhuman

Shagaholic
Hi All,
Been a while since I've dared post here. I've been practising a lot and am learning my way around Cubase SX so the production is a bit better this time.

I'm looking for some tips on how to get the mix right before attempting to master it. Any tips would be cool, BTW the drums are EZdrummer DFH in case that makes a difference re mixing (always find the drums the hardest to get right).

Hope you don't mind guitar instrumentals - it's just 3 mins anyway - short piece.
Track: 'Hellucination'
http://www.mp3unsigned.com/Showband.asp?id=4890
 
Your playing is pretty damn good, but you have the same problem I do: all your guitar parts sound like the same amp and same guitar is playing all of them. They are too close sonically, and it's showing up in your mixes. Other than that, not a bad job. I didn't get bored listening.
 
Thanks Rokket, for this one I want to keep the same lead tone and sound right through as a single solo. I used two guitars, an Ibanez Jem with Breed pickups for the rhythm and an Ibanez Prestige with EMG 81/85 for the solo. It was all record direct through a Rocktron Prophesy II. The only change I can think of that could make the lead more interesting is to throw in some wah on the hook sections (not the fast passages) - might help to break it up a little? Or do you think the backing/lead guitars should have a more radically different tones? Thanks again for the feedback - good advice is always welcome!
 
Thanks Rokket, for this one I want to keep the same lead tone and sound right through as a single solo. I used two guitars, an Ibanez Jem with Breed pickups for the rhythm and an Ibanez Prestige with EMG 81/85 for the solo. It was all record direct through a Rocktron Prophesy II. The only change I can think of that could make the lead more interesting is to throw in some wah on the hook sections (not the fast passages) - might help to break it up a little? Or do you think the backing/lead guitars should have a more radically different tones? Thanks again for the feedback - good advice is always welcome!
I just think your rhythm guitars need a little different tone. If you have to DI them, experiment with different settings to set them apart. It's better to use different amps and mic them, however. DI amp sims are getting better all the time, but they still have a ways to go before they can compete with a well placed mic on a good amp.
 
Maybe if I tweak the EQ on the rhythms they might separate a bit more.... any tips on frequencies? I'm still a total noob when it comes to mixing...
 
I gree with Rokket. You got everything sounding pretty much the same. The performance is good though.

The guitars just sound too "direct"...because they are. I think maybe those backing guitars should have way less gain. It's like a mush of distortion. Maybe retrack the rhythms with like half the gain, and double them to fatten them up. You'll get a clean "chugga-chugga" sound that would sit under the roaring lead nicely. Keep em relatively dry and pan the rhythms way wide so the lead can have lots of room in the middle. Just my 2 cents.
 
Cool, thanks for that advice. I used a lot less gain on the rhythm guitars than I would normaly go for but then again they sound better than usual so bringing the distortion back even further should back it sound better still. Appreciate the feedback guys.
 
Everyone seems to have this same problem (check my wall of guitars thread).
Doubling the rythm guitars is good, but don't use the same distortion. Try to get two distortions that sound different from each other but somehow complementary when together (panned hard left and right). Also since you have two guitars, I would probably use them both for the two rythm tracks.
Just heard your song and sounds pretty fucking good, a lot better than the typical I-play-fast-as-hell-with-no-melodies-at-all malmsteen sound.
But the lead sound is too "middy", it should be more "trebly" (hehe as you can see english is not my native language :P). Anyway, I would probably add some more 4-8khz to the lead, and reduce a little of those frequencies to the other guitars.

By the way, check out some of my band's demos, maybe you can give me a little advice on guitar sound, and with a little luck you will be interested in cooperating with a solo? :D

Edit: Maybe you could also try doubling some melodies, one octave higher with way less volume than the lead.
 
Hey Super,
Always enjoy your playing.

If I had to say anything it would be that I kept waiting for a bridge or a key change. Just something to break up the sameness.
 
I have been listening to some other songs from you, and let me tell you nice stuff man! Keep it up!
As for the mixing, I don't like the sound of the snare, it sounds too woody for my taste, and can get a little annoying especially in songs where you use it a lot like the futurist.
Again, great work!
 
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